Obama’s absence at APEC summit regretted by Singapore PM

The cancellation of US President Barack Obama’s APEC summit visit was commented on by Singapore’s Prime Minister on Sunday, who said that global leaders wanted to see “a US president who is able to travel and fulfill his international duties.”

"Obviously we prefer a US government that is working to one
that is not. And we prefer a US president who is able to travel
and fulfill his international duties to one who is preoccupied
with national domestic affairs," Singapore Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong said on Sunday at the meeting which Obama was
previously scheduled to address.

US Secretary of State John Kerry will take part in the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit instead of
President Obama, who earlier canceled his visit reportedly due to the US
government shutdown.

Leaders of APEC countries, whose economies account for more than
half of global GDP, have gathered on the Indonesian island of
Bali for the economic summit which is set to kick off on October
7.

More than 1,200 delegates from 21 countries are participating in
the annual gathering of APEC this year. The 2013 summit’s theme
is "Resilient Asia-Pacific, Engine of Global Growth."

The annual APEC forum, which may be the region's most important
economic gathering, will be held for two days, ending on October
8.

The Russian delegation is headed by President Vladimir Putin, who
is expected to speak on the topic of ‘New sources of
sustainable and long-term economic growth in the Asia-Pacific
region.’

A series of diplomatic meetings is scheduled to take place during
the summit, including talks between Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry. They are
expected to discuss various issues ranging from the Syrian
conflict to the impact of the US government crisis on
international programs.

In the framework of the summit, ministers from the Pacific Rim
economies are expected to discuss the ongoing Trans-Pacific
Partnership and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free
trade negotiations ahead of a World Trade Organization (WTO)
meeting in Bali in December. The process is aimed at creating a
free trade zone covering the greater Asia-Pacific region.

There are grounds to think that people believe more in the
existence of UFOs than the benefits of free trade, Indonesian
Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said on Sunday. For
developing countries - where some industries lack the competitive
sophistication of those in wealthier countries - it is easier to
argue for free trade when there are visible signs of its benefits
such as factories and jobs, he said.

The APEC summit also offers Indonesia a chance to attract the
foreign investment it needs to help modernize its infrastructure.

APEC was established in 1989 and consists of Australia, Canada,
Chile, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand,
Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, Taiwan, the United States, and
seven members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.